Zuo’s career got an inauspicious start when as a young man he flunked the official court exams seven times (1822-1835).

All but giving up on public life, Zuo returned to his home by the River Hsiang in Hunan and resigned himself to a quiet life farming silkworms, reading, and drinking tea.

When the Taiping Rebellion broke out in 1850, Zuo, then 38 years old, was hired as an adviser by the staff of the governor of Hunan. In 1856, he was formally offered a position in the provincial government of Hunan.

In 1860, Zuo was given command of a force of 5,000 volunteers (later known as “Chu Army”), and by September of that year he drove the Taiping rebels out of Hunan and Guangxi provinces, into coastal Zhejiang.

Zuo captured the city of Shaoxing, and from there pushed south into Fujian and Guangdong provinces, where the revolt had first begun. In 1863, Zuo was appointed Governor of Zhejiang and an Undersecretary of War.

In August of 1864 Zuo, together with Zeng Guofan, dethroned the Taiping king, Hong Tianguifu, and brought an end to the rebellion. He was created Earl Kejing of the 1st Class for his part in suppressing the Rebellion.

In 1865, Zuo was appointed Viceroy and Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang. As Commissioner of Naval Industries, Zuo oversaw the erection of China’s first modern shipyard and naval academy in Fuzhou the following year.

The dish General Tso’s Chicken, popularized in New York City during the 1970s, is named after Zuo Zongtang.